Automatic resource ownership assignment systems and methods

ABSTRACT

An automatic resource ownership assignment system, the system including resource ownership indicators definition functionality operative to allow an operator of the system to define resource ownership indicators, automatic resource ownership recommendation functionality operative to provide, to at least one user of the system, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one resource to a potential owner, based on the resource ownership indicators, and automatic resource ownership assignment functionality which, responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of the at least one recommendation by the at least one user and approval of said at least one recommendation by the potential owner, is operative to automatically assign ownership of the at least one resource to the potential owner.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Reference is made to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/673,691, filed Feb. 16, 2010, and entitled “ENTERPRISE LEVEL DATA MANAGEMENT”, which is a National Phase Application of PCT\IL2010\000069 filed Jan. 27, 2010 and entitled “ENTERPRISE LEVEL DATA MANAGEMENT”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference and priority of which is hereby claimed pursuant to 37 CFR 1.78(a) (1) and (2)(i).

Reference is also made to the following patents and patent applications, owned by assignee, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference:

U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,555,482 and 7,606,801;

U.S. Published Patent Application Nos. 2007/0244899, 2008/0271157, 2009/0100058, 2009/0119298 and 2009/0265780; and

U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/772,450 and 12/814,807.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to automatic resource ownership assignment systems and methods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following patent publications are believed to represent the current state of the art:

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,465,387; 5,899,991; 6,338,082; 6,393,468; 6,928,439; 7,031,984; 7,068,592; 7,403,925; 7,421,740; 7,555,482, 7,606,801 and 7,743,420; and

U.S. Published Patent Application Nos.: 2003/0051026; 2004/0249847; 2005/0108206; 2005/0203881; 2005/0086529; 2006/0064313; 2006/0184530; 2006/0184459; 2007/0203872; 2007/0244899; 2008/0271157; 2009/0100058; 2009/0119298 and 2009/0265780.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides improved systems and methodologies for automatic resource ownership assignment.

There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention an automatic resource ownership assignment system, the system including resource ownership indicators definition functionality operative to allow an operator of the system to define resource ownership indicators, automatic resource ownership recommendation functionality operative to provide, to at least one user of the system, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one resource to a potential owner, based on the resource ownership indicators, and automatic resource ownership assignment functionality which, responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of the at least one recommendation by the at least one user and approval of the at least one recommendation by the potential owner, is operative to automatically assign ownership of the at least one resource to the potential owner.

The term “predetermined at least partial approval” is used throughout to mean approval of a recommendation by a single user is a case where approval of the recommendation is requested from the single user, or approval of the recommendation by a predetermined portion of users in a case where approval of the recommendation is requested from multiple users.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ownership of at least one resource includes responsibility for managing access permissions to the resource.

There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention an automatic folder ownership assignment system, the system including folder ownership indicators definition functionality operative to allow an administrator of the system to define folder ownership indicators, automatic folder ownership recommendation functionality operative to provide, to at least one user of the system, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one folder to a potential owner, based on the folder ownership indicators, and automatic folder ownership assignment functionality which, responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of the at least one recommendation by the at least one user and approval of the at least one recommendation by the potential owner, is operative to assign ownership of the at least one folder to the potential owner.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ownership of at least one folder includes responsibility for managing access permissions to the folder. Preferably, the access permissions include at least one of read permissions to at least one file within the folder, write permissions to at least one file within the folder, permissions to create at least one file in the folder and permissions to delete at least one file in the folder.

Additionally, managing access permissions to the folder is achieved by at least one of manually setting user access permissions to the folder, and configuring automatic rules for setting user access permissions to the folder.

Preferably, the system resides on a computer server. Preferably, the computer server is connected to an enterprise level network. Preferably, the system includes a database. Preferably, the database includes access permissions information for at least some of the folders in the network. Preferably, the database includes actual access history information for at least some of the folders in the network. Preferably, the database includes metadata relating to at least some of the folders in the network. Preferably, the metadata includes at least one of creation date and size.

Preferably, the database also includes folder ownership information for all folders in the network. Preferably, the folder ownership indicators include at least one of actual access to the at least one folder, access permissions to the at least one folder and the identity of a creator of the at least one folder.

Additionally, the automatic folder ownership assignment functionality, responsive to rejection of the at least one recommendation by the at least one user or by the potential owner, and responsive to receiving an alternative recommendation from the at least one user or from the potential owner to assign ownership of the at least one folder to an alternative owner, is operative to automatically assign ownership of the at least one folder to the alternative owner.

The term “rejection” is used throughout to mean rejection of a recommendation by a single user is a case where approval of the recommendation is requested from the single user, or rejection of the recommendation by a predetermined portion of users in a case where approval of the recommendation is requested from multiple users.

There is further provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention an automatic library ownership assignment system, the system including library ownership indicators definition functionality operative to allow an operator of the system to define library ownership indicators, automatic library ownership recommendation functionality operative to provide, to at least one user of a library, a recommendation to assign ownership of the library to a potential owner, based on the library ownership indicators, and automatic library ownership assignment functionality which, responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of the at least one recommendation by the at least one user and approval of the at least one recommendation by the potential owner, is operative to automatically assign ownership of the library to the potential owner.

There is yet further provided in accordance with still another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for automatic resource ownership assignment, the method including defining resource ownership indicators, automatically providing, to at least one individual, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one resource to a potential owner, based on the resource ownership indicators, and responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of the at least one recommendation by the at least one individual and approval of the at least one recommendation by the potential owner, to automatically assign ownership of the at least one resource to the potential owner.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ownership of at least one resource includes responsibility for managing access permissions to the resource.

There is also provided in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for automatic folder ownership assignment, the method including defining folder ownership indicators, automatically providing, to at least one individual, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one folder to a potential owner, based on the folder ownership indicators, and responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of the at least one recommendation by the at least one individual and approval of the at least one recommendation by the potential owner, to automatically assign ownership of the at least one folder to the potential owner.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the ownership of at least one folder includes responsibility for managing access permissions to the folder. Preferably, the access permissions include at least one of read permissions to at least one file within the folder, write permissions to at least one file within the folder, permissions to create at least one file in the folder and permissions to delete at least one file in the folder.

Additionally, managing access permissions to the folder is achieved by at least one of manually setting user access permissions to the folder, and configuring automatic rules for setting user access permissions to the folder. Preferably, the folder ownership indicators include at least one of actual access to the at least one folder, access permissions to the at least one folder and the identity of a creator of the at least one folder.

Additionally, responsive to rejection of the at least one recommendation by the at least one individual or by the potential owner, and responsive to receiving an alternative recommendation from the at least one individual or from the potential owner to assign ownership of the at least one folder to an alternative owner, the method also includes assigning ownership of the at least one folder to the alternative owner.

There is further provided in accordance with yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for automatic library ownership assignment, the method including defining library ownership indicators, automatically providing, to at least one user of a library, a recommendation to assign ownership of the library to a potential owner, based on the library ownership indicators, and responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of the at least one recommendation by the at least one user and approval of the at least one recommendation by the potential owner, to automatically assign ownership of the library to the potential owner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F and 1G are simplified pictorial illustrations of the operation of an automatic folder ownership assignment system, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F and 2G are simplified pictorial illustrations of the operation of an automatic resource ownership assignment system, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F and 1G, which are simplified pictorial illustrations of the operation of an automatic folder ownership assignment system, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The term “ownership” is used throughout to designate authority and accountability within an enterprise as distinct to legal ownership in the normal sense of the word. “Ownership” of a data element, an organization function, a resource, whether IT related or not, a service, a workflow or any other element in an enterprise designates authority and accountability with respect thereto within the enterprise. The definitions of “owner” and “owning” are of corresponding meaning.

The automatic folder ownership assignment system of FIGS. 1A-1G is preferably suitable for operating in an enterprise computer network including multiple disparate clients, data storage elements, computer hardware resources and computer software resources, and includes folder ownership indicators definition functionality (FOIDF) operative to allow an administrator of the system to define folder ownership indicators, automatic folder ownership recommendation functionality (AFORF) operative to provide, to at least one user of the system, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one folder to a potential owner, based on the folder ownership indicators, and automatic folder ownership assignment functionality (AFOAF) which, responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of the at least one recommendation by the at least one user and approval of the at least one recommendation by the potential owner, is operative to assign ownership of the at least one folder to the potential owner.

The term “predetermined at least partial approval” is used throughout to mean approval of a recommendation by a single user is a case where approval of the recommendation is requested from the single user, or approval of the recommendation by a predetermined portion of users in a case where approval of the recommendation is requested from multiple users.

The term “rejection” is used throughout to mean rejection of the recommendation by a single user is a case where approval of the recommendation is requested from the single user, or rejection of the recommendation by a predetermined portion of users in a case where approval of the recommendation is requested from multiple users.

The owner of a folder is responsible, for example, for managing access permissions to the folder. Such access permissions may include read or write permissions to a file within the folder, and modification permissions to a folder (e.g. permissions to create or delete files). Management of access permissions by the owner may be achieved, for example, by manually setting user access permissions to the folder, and by configuring automatic rules for setting user access permissions to the folder.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the automatic folder ownership assignment system 100 preferably resides on a computer server 101, and preferably includes a database 102. Server 101 is preferably connected to an enterprise level network 104 to which may be connected hundreds or thousands of computers 106 and storage devices 108. Database 102 preferably stores user access permissions and actual access history for all folders stored across network 104 as well as a list of the owner of each of the folders, and other metadata relating to the folders, such as creation date and size.

As also shown in FIG. 1A, a user of the automatic folder ownership assignment system, typically an administrator of computer network 104, utilizes the system to define indicators of folder ownership across network 104. Indicators of ownership of a particular folder may include, for example, extensive user activity in the folder by a particular individual, extensive access permissions of a particular individual to the folder, and the identity of the creator of the folder. As shown in FIG. 1A, the administrator chooses to define extensive access permissions as the indicator of folder ownership across network 104.

Turning now to FIG. 1B, it is shown that the administrator of network 104 further uses the system to automatically assign owners to folders across network 104. As seen in FIG. 1B, the administrator chooses to automatically assign owners to the HR folder and to the Finance folder which both reside in one of the data storage elements connected to network 104. As seen in FIG. 1C, based on the administrator defining extensive access permissions to be the indicator of folder ownership, the system utilizes a folder permissions table 110 which is part of database 102 to formulate recommendations for ownership of the HR folder and the Finance folder, which are entered into a folder ownership recommendations table 112. As shown in FIG. 1C, the system recommends that Tom, who has extensive access permissions to the HR folder, which extensive access permissions include read, write, create and delete permissions, be assigned ownership of the HR folder. The system also recommends that Bob, who has extensive access permissions to the Finance folder, which extensive access permissions include read, write, create and delete permissions, be assigned ownership of the Finance folder.

The system then requests predetermined at least partial approval of the folder ownership recommendation for the HR folder from at least some of the users having access permissions to the HR folder, typically from users who are most active in accessing the HR folder. As seen in FIG. 1D, the system requests approval of the folder ownership recommendation from Bob, Bill and Sarah. As shown in FIG. 1E, Bob and Sarah approve the recommendation, and Bill does not approve the recommendation. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, a user who does not approve a recommendation may propose an alternative folder ownership recommendation.

As shown in FIG. 1F, after ascertaining that the majority of users from whom the system requested approval of the folder ownership recommendation for the HR folder approve the recommendation to assign ownership of the HR folder to Tom, the system then requests approval of the ownership recommendation from Tom, asking Tom if he accepts ownership of the HR folder.

Upon receiving the approval of the ownership recommendation from Tom, the system assigns ownership of the HR folder to Tom, as shown in FIG. 1G. Similarly, the system assigns ownership of the Finance folder to Bob. Ownership of the folders is recorded in a folder ownership table 114 of database 102.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F and 2G, which are simplified pictorial illustrations of the operation of an automatic resource ownership assignment system, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The automatic resource ownership assignment system of FIGS. 2A-2G is preferably suitable for operating in an organization comprising a plurality of organizational resources, each of which need to managed by a responsible individual. One such resource may be, for example, a library having a plurality of registered borrowers which are authorized to borrow items such as books, periodicals and other publications from the library for a limited amount of time. The owner of the library is responsible, for example, for managing the process of borrowing and returning books to the library, and setting, implementing and enforcing policies regarding book loan eligibility and duration.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 2A, there is shown an automatic ownership assignment system 200 which preferably resides on a computer server 201, and preferably includes a database 202. Server 201 is preferably connected to a computer network 204 to which may be connected hundreds or thousands of computers 206 and storage devices 208. Database 202 preferably stores a list of owners of each of the resources, and other data relating to the resources, such as library access rights of all members of a library.

As shown in FIG. 2A, a user of the automatic resource ownership assignment system, typically an organizational administrator utilizes the system to define indicators of potential library ownership. Indicators of potential ownership of a library may include, for example, extensive activity in the library by a particular individual, extensive access rights of a particular individual to the library, and the contribution of a particular individual to the content of the library. As shown in FIG. 2A, the administrator chooses to define extensive access rights as the indicator of potential library ownership.

Turning now to FIG. 2B, it is shown that the organizational administrator further uses the system to automatically appoint a librarian for the library. As seen in FIG. 2C, based on the administrator defining extensive access rights to be the indicator of library ownership, the system utilizes a library access rights table 210 which is part of database 202 to formulate a recommendation for ownership of the library, which is entered into a resource ownership recommendations table 212. As shown in FIG. 2C, the system recommends that Tom, who has extensive access rights to the library, which extensive access rights include access, and borrowing rights for both the books section and the periodicals section of the library, be assigned ownership of the library.

The system then requests predetermined at least partial approval of the library ownership recommendation from at least some of the users having access rights to the library, typically from users who are most active in accessing the library. As seen in FIG. 2D, the system requests approval of the library ownership recommendation from Bob, Bill and Sarah. As shown in FIG. 2E, Bob and Sarah approve the recommendation, and Bill does not approve the recommendation. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, a user who does not approve a recommendation may propose an alternative library ownership recommendation.

As shown in FIG. 2F, after ascertaining that the majority of users from whom the system requested approval of the library ownership recommendation approve the recommendation to assign ownership of the library to Tom, the system then requests approval of the ownership recommendation from Tom, asking Tom if he accepts ownership of the library.

Upon receiving the approval of the ownership recommendation from Tom, the system assigns ownership of the library to Tom, as shown in FIG. 2G. Ownership of the library is recorded in a resource ownership table 214 of database 202.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as modifications thereof which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art. 

1. An automatic resource ownership assignment system, said system comprising: resource ownership indicators definition functionality operative to allow an operator of said system to define resource ownership indicators; automatic resource ownership recommendation functionality operative to provide, to at least one user of said system, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one resource to a potential owner, based on said resource ownership indicators; and automatic resource ownership assignment functionality which, responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of said at least one recommendation by said at least one user and approval of said at least one recommendation by said potential owner, is operative to automatically assign ownership of said at least one resource to said potential owner.
 2. An automatic resource ownership assignment system according to claim 1 and wherein said ownership of at least one resource comprises responsibility for managing access permissions to said resource.
 3. An automatic folder ownership assignment system, said system comprising: folder ownership indicators definition functionality operative to allow an administrator of said system to define folder ownership indicators; automatic folder ownership recommendation functionality operative to provide, to at least one user of said system, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one folder to a potential owner, based on said folder ownership indicators; and automatic folder ownership assignment functionality which, responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of said at least one recommendation by said at least one user and approval of said at least one recommendation by said potential owner, is operative to assign ownership of said at least one folder to said potential owner.
 4. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 3 and wherein said ownership of at least one folder comprises responsibility for managing access permissions to said folder.
 5. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 4 and wherein said access permissions comprise at least one of: read permissions to at least one file within said folder; write permissions to at least one file within said folder; permissions to create at least one file in said folder; and permissions to delete at least one file in said folder.
 6. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 4 and wherein said managing access permissions to said folder is achieved by at least one of manually setting user access permissions to said folder, and configuring automatic rules for setting user access permissions to said folder.
 7. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 3 and wherein said system resides on a computer server.
 8. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 7 and wherein said computer server is connected to an enterprise level network.
 9. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 8 and wherein said system includes a database.
 10. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 9 and wherein said database comprises access permissions information for at least some of the folders in said network.
 11. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 9 and wherein said database comprises actual access history information for at least some of the folders in said network.
 12. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 9 and wherein said database comprises metadata relating to at least some of the folders in said network.
 13. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 9 and wherein said metadata comprises at least one of creation date and size.
 14. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 10 and wherein said database also comprises folder ownership information for all folders in said network.
 15. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 11 and wherein said folder ownership indicators include at least one of actual access to said at least one folder, access permissions to said at least one folder and the identity of a creator of said at least one folder.
 16. An automatic folder ownership assignment system according to claim 12 and wherein said automatic folder ownership assignment functionality, responsive to rejection of said at least one recommendation by said at least one user or by said potential owner, and responsive to receiving an alternative recommendation from said at least one user or from said potential owner to assign ownership of said at least one folder to an alternative owner, is operative to automatically assign ownership of said at least one folder to said alternative owner.
 17. An automatic library ownership assignment system, said system comprising: library ownership indicators definition functionality operative to allow an operator of said system to define library ownership indicators; automatic library ownership recommendation functionality operative to provide, to at least one user of a library, a recommendation to assign ownership of said library to a potential owner, based on said library ownership indicators; and automatic library ownership assignment functionality which, responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of said at least one recommendation by said at least one user and approval of said at least one recommendation by said potential owner, is operative to automatically assign ownership of said library to said potential owner.
 18. A method for automatic resource ownership assignment, said method comprising: defining resource ownership indicators; automatically providing, to at least one individual, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one resource to a potential owner, based on said resource ownership indicators; and responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of said at least one recommendation by said at least one individual and approval of said at least one recommendation by said potential owner, to automatically assign ownership of said at least one resource to said potential owner.
 19. A method for automatic resource ownership assignment according to claim 15 and wherein said ownership of at least one resource comprises responsibility for managing access permissions to said resource.
 20. A method for automatic folder ownership assignment, said method comprising: defining folder ownership indicators; automatically providing, to at least one individual, a recommendation to assign ownership of at least one folder to a potential owner, based on said folder ownership indicators; and responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of said at least one recommendation by said at least one individual and approval of said at least one recommendation by said potential owner, to automatically assign ownership of said at least one folder to said potential owner.
 21. A method for automatic folder ownership assignment according to claim 17 and wherein said ownership of at least one folder comprises responsibility for managing access permissions to said folder.
 22. A method for automatic folder ownership assignment according to claim 18 and wherein said access permissions comprise at least one of: read permissions to at least one file within said folder; write permissions to at least one file within said folder; permissions to create at least one file in said folder; and permissions to delete at least one file in said folder.
 23. A method for automatic folder ownership assignment according to claim 18 and wherein said managing access permissions to said folder is achieved by at least one of manually setting user access permissions to said folder, and configuring automatic rules for setting user access permissions to said folder.
 24. A method for automatic folder ownership assignment according to claim 20 and wherein said folder ownership indicators include at least one of actual access to said at least one folder, access permissions to said at least one folder and the identity of a creator of said at least one folder.
 25. A method for automatic folder ownership assignment according to claim 21 and wherein responsive to rejection of said at least one recommendation by said at least one individual or by said potential owner, and responsive to receiving an alternative recommendation from said at least one individual or from said potential owner to assign ownership of said at least one folder to an alternative owner, said method also includes automatically assigning ownership of said at least one folder to said alternative owner.
 26. A method for automatic library ownership assignment, said method comprising: defining library ownership indicators; automatically providing, to at least one user of a library, a recommendation to assign ownership of said library to a potential owner, based on said library ownership indicators; and responsive to predetermined at least partial approval of said at least one recommendation by said at least one user and approval of said at least one recommendation by said potential owner, to automatically assign ownership of said library to said potential owner. 